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Monday, May 8, 2017

BlogPaws 2017 and Pet Friendly Myrtle Beach

Can you believe BlogPaws 2017 is next week? We've been excited about the conference being in our beautiful state of South Carolina since it was announced last year in Phoenix. Myrtle Beach is about three hours from our house, so we sent Mom Paula to the beach to check out some of the pet friendly locations. To help her with this exploration, Mom Paula brought her parents and their dog, Bandit along for the trip. Most of the information found below can be found online, but we wanted to consolidate it for you in a convenient location.

Bandit and Grandma Faye walking to the beach

Mom Paula: BlogPaws 2017 is being held in Myrtle Beach, SC from May 18-20, 2017 at the Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center. Learn more about the BlogPaws 2017 Conference right here! Truffle and Brulee are staying at home, but many attendees are bring their pets along for the conference. This was the first time I'd traveled with a pet on a road trip and I had no idea how much was involved. There are others who've traveled with their pets frequently who can provide important information about preparing for such a trip. This post is to provide important information for those of you bringing your pets with you to the conference at Myrtle Beach.

Animal Laws

Bandit frolicking among the sand dunes (some of these areas are restricted)

Myrtle Beach is a pet friendly location, but it's also a tourist attraction with an active season from May 1 - Labor Day each year. My parents have taken Bandit to Myrtle Beach in the past, but it was always in October when there were less restrictions. Our day trip to Myrtle Beach was on May 1, so it was the first day of the tourist season. I honestly thought there wouldn't be a problem taking Bandit out on the beach on a Monday so early in the season. My mom and I got out of the car to walk towards the beach and we stopped at the end of the boardwalk to get some photos. A law enforcement officer pulled up in the parking lot and got out with her whistle, watching us very closely. We did not venture onto the beach with Bandit. The officer got back into her car and watched us walk back to our car, leaving as soon as we got in. This was a lesson to me that officials at Myrtle Beach monitor adherence to the laws. What are the laws?

Horry County

Any animal on the beach must be on a hand-held leash not to exceed seven feet
in length and under the control of the person having custody of the animal.
Animals are not allowed on the beach from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. May 1 - Labor Day.
It is unlawful to ride a horse or other animal on the public beach or within
public marsh areas within the county limits March 1-Oct. 31.

Myrtle Beach
Dogs in public must be on a leash at all times. No animals are permitted on the
beach or Ocean Boulevard from 13th Ave. S. to 21st Ave. N. in Myrtle Beach
during any time of the year. Dogs are permitted on the beach anytime from Labor
Day through April 30. No dogs are allowed on the beach 10 a.m.-5 p.m. May 1-
Labor Day.

Horses are not permitted in the City of Myrtle Beach.

North Myrtle Beach
Dogs in public must be on a leash at all times. No dogs are allowed on the
beach from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. May 15-Sept. 15.

Surfside Beach
Dogs are not allowed on the beach at any time May 15-Sept. 15. Riding horses on
the beach is prohibited.

Georgetown County
Horses are not allowed on the beach March 15-Sept. 15. Riding horses on Pawleys
Island or Huntington Beach State Park is prohibited year round.

Dogs are allowed on public beaches if accompanied by the owner or
keeper and under the physical control by means of a leash or similar
restraining device, or under the control of a responsible person to whom the
dog is obedient on command. On Pawleys Island beach, dogs must be on a leash
May-October. At Huntington Beach State Park, dogs must be on a leash at all
times. In areas designated for the protection of endangered species, dogs and
cats must be on a leash at all times.

The ocean is only 2 1/2 blocks from the Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center, so it would be a nice walk early in the morning or evening. There is a large 4 lane highway you need to cross, so be careful if you walk to the ocean.

Dog Parks

Bandit demonstrates he is the appropriate height to enter the small dog area at Barc Parc North

My parents have never taken Bandit to a dog park, so I thought it would be nice to check out the dog parks near the Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center. There are several dog parks within driving distance from the hotel. The closest parks were Barc Parc North and Barc Parc South. We took Bandit to both of the parks. Barc Parc South is near the airport and is a large fenced-in area with benches, picnic tables, trees, and a large pond. The entrance into the park is a double gate entrance. Bandit was a little intimidated when all the large dogs came to greet him. None of the dogs were aggressive, but the owners quickly came over when it was obvious Bandit was stressed. We were told there were plans to add a "small dog" area to this location in the future. Barc Parc South is approximately 3-4 miles from the hotel.Barc Parc North was located 3-4 miles north of the hotel and is located beside the YMCA.Barc Parc North includes both a "large dog" area and a "small dog" area. There was a double gate entrance for both areas at this location. The small dog area was peaceful and beautiful. There were several benches among the trees with a sidewalk winding through the park. There was a water fountain near the entrance for dogs to drink from and a stand with bags to pick up after your dogs. This dog park was so relaxing that we felt comfortable letting Bandit roam around off leash and we stayed a while.

The other dog parks listed are further to the North and South of the Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center and may not be as convenient to get to during the days of the conference. You can get more information about all of the parks and addresses here.

Pet Friendly Restaurants

My parents and Bandit at Liberty Brewery and Grill at Broadway at the Beach

Disclaimer: Information about pet-friendly restaurants was found on numerous websites for Myrtle Beach. It's strongly recommended you call the restaurant prior to going to ensure your pets would be welcome.

There are a lot of restaurants in Myrtle Beach and the surrounding areas and many are pet-friendly. Some of the pet-friendly restaurants are located on the beach, but parking can be difficult during tourist season. There were several restaurants near the Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center that indicated they were pet friendly. We chose to go to the Liberty Brewery and Grill located at Broadway at the Beach, which is only a couple of blocks from the hotel. I called the restaurant prior to going and was told they were definitely pet-friendly. We had to park in the large parking lot and walk into the Broadway at the Beach property (past Starbucks) to get to the restaurant (#11 on the map). There was a covered porch at the front of the restaurant where patrons can sit with their pets. The servers were very friendly and immediately brought a bowl of water to Bandit. The server told us that the restaurant was pet-friendly year-round, but there were some restrictions with Broadway at the Beach. I checked on the website and discovered that even though the restaurant is pet-friendly; Broadway at the Beach only allows pets for those needing assistance.A list of pet-friendly restaurants can be found at the following websites:

Veterinary Hospitals

Truffle and Brulee on an examination table at the vet

I hope you won't need the services of a vet while at the BlogPaws 2017 Conference in Myrtle Beach. I noticed a veterinary hospital right behind the Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center, but I don't have specific information about it and would be hesitant to recommend it. There is a list of veterinary hospitals based on recommendations on Yelp for the Myrtle Beach area. There are two AAHA accredited hospitals in the Myrtle Beach area:

In case of an emergency that occurs after 11:00 pm, there is an Emergency Veterinary Hospital (Animal Emergency Hospital of the Strand) located at 601-1 Robert Grissom Parkway, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577. 843-445-9797.

A view of Myrtle Beach

I am honored to represent BlogPaws as an Attendee-Focused Ambassador and look forward to seeing you in Myrtle Beach. Please feel free to say hello and introduce yourself. I'll do my best to welcome you with the the famous Southern Hospitality we are known for.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of BlogPaws. The opinions and text are all mine.

Oh how nice of you to find all this info for everyone. I haven't been to the beach in sooo long and I think I've only been to the Gulf of Mexico at that. Nice to see some good hospitals nearby. I do have to say that the law that states - It is unlawful to ride a horse or 'other animal' made me chuckle a bit... I wonder what "other animals" people are trying to ride on the beach there!

Thanks so much for all the great information and resources! We will find them very helpful when we visit next week. We are staying until Monday after the conference and look forward to early morning walks on the beach! Love Dolly

Great information to have, especially considering I'll have my dog, Jon Farleigh, with me from Monday through Sunday! I want so badly to take him for his first beach/ocean experience while I'm down there, and am thrilled that I can at least do it early or late in the day. Thanks for taking the time to put this together.

Thanks for putting together this helpful guide! I don't think I'll be venturing outside of the hotel with the kitties this trip. I may try the beach with them again, but they hated it last time, sadly. We'll see!

Such an informative post with great details for every animal attending BlogPaws this year. I do like how you mention the other dog owners at the dog park noticed when the new dog was stressed. It is so important that owners pay attention to subtle cues and avoid potential problems.

Great information about the dog laws and dog friendly places in and around Myrtle Beach. We aren't making it to the conference this year, but hope to take a trip to Myrtle Beach this year, so it will definitely be useful info. Have a great time!

This is wonderful information, thank you! Ruby won't be joining me, but this makes me wish she was! I've never been to Myrtle Beach and am really looking forward to visiting your beautiful state! See you next week.

Wow, thanks for putting this post together. I don't think the cats and I will venture outside as we were recently at the beach and mostly used it as a photo shoot without thinking about rules. I think we'll just hang with our friends at the hotel in Myrtle Beach...

I forget how strict leash laws on beaches are elsewhere. In Oregon, dogs are allowed on just about all beaches and they can be off-leash on the majority of them as well. Although I suppose a hundred dogs running around at once would be overwhelming!

Just looking at the beach and the restaurant and map got me so excited. Can't believe I'll be there next week. I definitely plan to walk to the ocean. Kilo the Pug is staying home but such a good resource for anyone travelling with their pets. Love the pic of Bandit and your parents. See you soon.